This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-013237, filed Jan. 21, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates generally to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing digital audio/video data, and more particularly to a reproducing apparatus having a playlist processing function matching with reproduction orders on playlists of plural kinds of formats.
Recently, many types of players capable of recording digital audio data have been marketed. In one type, audio data alone is recorded. In another, data called a playlist in which an order of play is described is recorded and reproduction is performed according to a reproduction order on the playlist.
For reproduction of audio data, the player, in general, has a return function for returning a current position of play. Where the same data range is to be played twice or more, a return operation needs to be performed each time. In this case, the final position of return varies from user to user, since the user refers to a value of a counter, etc. A desired data range is not always played each time. In order to solve this problem, an xe2x80x9cAB repeatxe2x80x9d function is proposed. According to this function, a data range to be played is designated and reproduced repeatedly.
In the prior art, removable media storing audio data produced for one player cannot, in some cases, be reproduced by another player. The reason is that an expected playlist is not present in the removable media or a playlist format is different. In such cases, the user has to prepare a new playlist. Even if the removable media are reproduced, the order of reproduction may differ from that expected.
As regards the AB repeat function provided in the conventional player, a data range to be played needs to be designated. Since the designation is performed after the user has thought of xe2x80x9conce more playxe2x80x9d, the number of operational procedures increases. Thus, the operation becomes very time-consuming and complex.
Besides, in general, a small portable player uses a battery alone as an operational power supply. Thus, the power of the battery is shortly consumed. That is, the lifetime of the battery is short.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a reproducing apparatus which permits a removable medium storing audio data or video data to be reproduced by some other player in an expected play order, without preparing a new playlist.
Another object of the invention is to provide a reproducing apparatus capable of automatically memorizing a final return position and starting reproduction from the memorized position by one-touch control.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a reproducing apparatus capable of reducing consumption of power of the battery and increasing the lifetime of a battery, where a reproducing operation is performed in the state in which the apparatus is connected to a host device, by utilizing power from the host device.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus comprising:
playlist detection means for reading out digital data on plural kinds of formats compressed and stored in a memory medium and detecting a plurality of playlists of the read-out digital data; and
reproduction means for reproducing the digital data of the playlists detected by the playlist detection means.
Since this apparatus includes the means for detecting the playlists of the plural kinds of formats, even if the memory medium contains playlists of different formats, the data can be reproduced according to the playlists.
According to a second aspect of the invention, in the reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect, the reproduction means reproduces the digital data of each of the plurality of playlists detected by the playlist detection means successively from a first one of the playlists.
With this structure, even if the memory medium contains playlists of plural kinds of formats, the playlists can be discriminated and successively reproduced.
According to a third aspect of the invention, in the reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect, the playlist detection means includes means for detecting data, which is unassociated with playlists, and detects the data unassociated with playlists as one playlist.
When data not associated with playlists is detected, a list of the data is processed as one playlist. Thus, data formed for reproducing apparatuses with no playlists can be reproduced.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect, the playlist detection means detects playlists stored in a plurality of memory media and displays the detected playlists.
With this structure, even where plural memory media are mounted on the reproducing apparatus, the playlists stored in each record medium are successively detected and displayed. Thus, the user can select and reproduce a desired one of the successively displayed playlists, without paying attention to the plural memory media or memory devices.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect, the playlist detection means sets an order of priority on the formats of the detected playlists, and the reproduction means reproduces the digital data of the playlists in the order of the set priority on the formats of the playlists.
With this structure, the order of priority on the formats of playlists for reproduction can be set, and the playlists can be efficiently selected according to the user""s preference.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, the reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect further comprises select means for selecting a desired one of the playlists detected by the playlist detection means, wherein the reproduction means reproduces the digital data of the playlist selected by the select means.
Since this apparatus includes the playlist select means for selecting a desired one of the playlists detected by the playlist detection means, even if the memory medium contains playlists of different formats, a desired playlist can be selected for the reproduction operation.
According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus comprising:
reproduction means for reading out and reproducing data stored in a memory medium;
return means for returning a position of start of reproduction;
final return position storing means for storing a position to which the position of start of reproduction is finally returned by the return means;
return instruct means for instructing a repeat reproduction operation; and
repeat reproduction means for reading out the final return position from the final return position storing means when a return instruction is issued from the return instruct means, and starting the repeat reproduction operation from the final return position.
The final return position is stored in the final return position storing means. Thus, when repeat reproduction of the same audio data is desired, if the return operation is once performed, reproduction can be exactly performed from the desired point in the following operations only by instructing the return operation.
According to an eighth aspect of the invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus comprising:
reproduction means for reading out and reproducing data stored in a memory medium;
fast-forwarded means for fast-advancing a position of start of reproduction;
final forwarded position storing means for storing a position to which the position of start of reproduction is finally forwarded by the fast-forwarded means;
return instruct means for instructing a repeat reproduction operation; and
repeat reproduction means for reading out the final forwarded position from the final forwarded position storing means when a return instruction is issued from the return instruct means, and starting the repeat reproduction operation from the final forwarded position.
When fast forwarded is performed, the final forwarded position is stored in the final forwarded position storing means. Thus, if the current position of play is excessively returned beyond the desired point in the first return operation, the position of play is adjusted by the fast forwarded. In this case, too, play can be exactly performed from the desired point by the return instruction.
According to a ninth aspect of the invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus comprising:
reproduction means for reading out and reproducing data stored in a memory medium;
return means for returning a position of start of reproduction;
return instruct means for instructing return by the return means;
final return position storing means for storing a final return position to which the position of start of reproduction is finally returned by the return means;
skip instruct means for instructing a skip of a track of the data;
first determination means for determining, when the skip has been instructed by the skip instruct means, whether a current position of reproduction is at a beginning of the track or not;
second determination means for determining a relationship among the final return position stored in the final return position storing means, the current position of reproduction, and the track; and
position-of-reproduction determining means for determining a position of reproduction on the basis of determination results of the first determination means and the second determination means.
In the reproducing apparatus with the track skip function, when the skip has been instructed by the skip instruct means, it is determined whether a current position of reproduction is at a beginning of the track or not. In addition, a relationship among the final return position stored in the final return position storing means, the current position of reproduction, and the track is determined. A position of reproduction is determined on the basis of the determination results. Thus, where the number of operation keys is small, even if the return instruct means is not provided, it should suffice if the return operation is once performed. In the next operations, play can be exactly performed from the beginning of the track or the desired point only by instructing the skip operation.
According to a tenth aspect of the invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus comprising:
reproduction means for reading out and reproducing data stored in a memory medium;
return means for returning a position of start of reproduction;
final return position storing means for storing a final return position to which the position of start of reproduction is finally returned by the return means;
skip instruct means for instructing a skip of a track of the data;
position determination means for determining, when the skip has been instructed by the skip instruct means, whether the final return position stored in the final return position storing means is before or after a current position of reproduction in the track which is being reproduced; and
repeat reproduction means for starting reproduction from the final return position when the position determination means has determined that the final return position is before the current position of reproduction, and for starting reproduction from a beginning point of the currently reproduced track when the position determination means has determined that the final return position is after the current position of reproduction.
According to an eleventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus comprising:
reproduction means for reading out and reproducing data stored in a memory medium;
return means for returning a position of start of reproduction;
final return position storing means for storing a final return position to which the position of start of reproduction is finally returned by the return means;
skip instruct means for instructing a skip of a track of the data;
position determination means for determining, when the skip has been instructed by the skip instruct means and a current position of reproduction is at a beginning of the track, whether the final return position stored in the final return position storing means is before or after the current position of reproduction; and
repeat reproduction means for starting reproduction from the final return position when the position determination means has determined that the final return position is in a previous track preceding the track in which the current position of reproduction is present, and for starting reproduction from a beginning point of the previous track when the position determination means has determined that the final return position is absent in the previous track preceding the track in which the current position of reproduction is present.
With this structure, when the host device is connected to the reproducing apparatus, the power from the host device is utilized. Thus, the power consumption in the battery of the reproducing apparatus is reduced, and the lifetime of the battery is increased.
According to a twelfth aspect of the invention, the reproducing apparatus according to the eleventh aspect further comprises setting means for effecting setting as to whether a determination process by the position determination means is effective or not,
wherein if the setting means has effected setting such that the determination process by the position determination means is not effective, the determination process by the position determination means is not performed.
Since there is provided the means for effecting setting as to whether the determination process based on the final return position stored in the final return position storing means is effective or not, the skip instruct function can be selectively used according to the condition of reproduction and the skip process can be performed efficiently.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.